Education

Tuition and Fee Reimbursement Grant

Veterans who were discharged from active duty within the last 10 years may be reimbursed for their tuition and fees for undergraduate courses completed at most schools in Wisconsin. The maximum reimbursement limit is 100 percent of the cost for the same number of undergraduate credits at the UW-Madison. The semester for which reimbursement is requested must begin within 10 years after the veteran's release from active duty, and the veteran must be enrolled for at least 12 credits during the semester. Veterans may receive grants for a total of eight full-time semesters (no more than half of the total may have been taken at technical system schools). The grant application must be received by WDVA no later than 60 days after the completion of the semester or academic term. Veterans who receive a Tuition and Fee Reimbursement Grant are not allowed a National Guard Tuition Grant, Part Time Study Grant, or Retraining Grant for the same semester.

Income limit---the veteran and spouse’s combined annual income may not exceed $50,000 plus $1,000 for each dependent in excess of two dependents.

Part-Time Study Grant

Veterans may be reimbursed for up to 100 percent of their tuition and fees after successfully completing part-time classroom or correspondence courses at most Wisconsin schools.

Reimbursement may not exceed 100 percent of the cost for the same number of undergraduate credits at the UW-Madison.

In some instances, spouses and dependent children of deceased Wisconsin veterans also may be eligible for this grant.

To qualify as a part-time student, undergraduates must carry 11 credits or less per semester, and students with a bachelor’s degree must carry eight credits or less per semester.

The part-time coursework must be related to the applicant’s occupational, professional or employment objectives. Courses taken solely for personal edification do not qualify for reimbursement. The grant application must be received by WDVA no later than 60 days after the completion of the course.

Applicants who receive a Part-Time Study Grant are not allowed a Retraining Grant or Tuition and Fee Reimbursement Grant for the same period of enrollment.

Applicants may receive no more than four Part-Time Study Grants during a 12-month period.

Personal Loan Program (PLP)

Veterans may qualify for low interest rate personal loans with up to 10 years to repay. The PLP may be used for the education of veterans, their spouses, and children.

PLP interest rates generally are much lower than rates for comparable loans from other lenders.

There is no maximum income limit on the PLP.

Applications for the PLP must be made through a County Veterans Service Office.

Retraining Grants

Recently unemployed or underemployed veterans may receive up to $3,000 per year, for a maximum of two years, if they have a financial need while being retrained for employment. The amount of the grant is determined by the applicant's financial need as calculated by the WDVA.

To qualify, the applicant must have been involuntarily laid off or discharged (not due to willful misconduct) within a period beginning one year before the date that the WDVA receives the application. The applicant must have been employed for at least six consecutive months with the same employer or in the same or similar occupations. At least one day of that employment must have been within the period beginning one year before the date that the WDVA receives the application.

An underemployed applicant must have current annual income from employment that does not exceed federal poverty guidelines. To qualify, an underemployed applicant must have experienced an involuntary reduction of income during the year prior to the date that WDVA receives the application.

The applicant must be currently enrolled in a technical education program or engaged in a structured on-the-job training program that will be completed within two years of the date that the application is received by the WDVA. The program must reasonably be expected to lead to employment. Course work for a college degree does not qualify.

Veterans must apply for the grant through their County Veterans Service Office.

***Troops to Teachers Program (TTT)***

TTT is a joint program of the U.S. Departments of Defense and Education that assists departing active duty military personnel, veterans and certain members/retirees who are associated with the reserve components, to transition to new careers as public school teachers. The program provides information, referral and financial assistance to eligible individuals who are interested in gaining certification and employment as teachers. Current DPI standards require all applicants for licensure/certification to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Actual employment decisions are made exclusively by school districts.

There are various options for gaining authorization to teach in Wisconsin:

Initial Educator License gained by completing the normal program of education courses (including student teaching) that are taken through a Wisconsin teacher training institution.

Minor Deficiencies License which is issued to individuals who complete a teacher training program at an out-of-state institution. Courses unique to Wisconsin must be taken through a Wisconsin teacher training institution while working as a teacher.

Emergency Permit which is issued to an individual who does not have the education credits required for regular licensure. These credentials are issued for teaching positions which a school district is unable to fill with a licensed teacher.

Wisconsin Alternative Programs for Teachers (WAPT) are programs which employ degreed individuals (without education credits) as teachers in public schools districts while providing training on the job.

Federal legislation provides TTT enrollees pursuing requirements for teaching certification, who agree to teach in high need school districts, a stipend of up to $5,000 to offset the cost of teacher training programs. Those willing to teach in schools with a high percentage of students from low income families may receive a $10,000 bonus. People will not be able to take advantage of both the stipend and the bonus.

NOTE: Effective for courses/semesters starting after December 1, 2004, a veteran seeking reimbursement for a Tuition and Fee Reimbursement Grant must receive a "C" or a 2.0 grade point average for the semester for which a Tuition and Fee Reimbursement Grant is sought.

For more information on State or Federal education benefits please follow these links.